I like Senator Brownback, but I'm very hesitant to return any incumbent politician to office. Through numerous letters and calls to his office, I still have yet to receive an answer to my question; "Why does Sen. Brownback oppose the FairTax?" He must feel pretty secure in his re-election to blow-off questions like this. I can only imagine how responsive he will be constituents questions once he is locked-in for another six years.

Government intervention in commerce and free markets NEVER helps anyone, including the government entities that do it – in this case - the Tonganoxie City Council. By outlawing Sunday liquor sales the city is depriving itself of tax revenue, and unjustly obstructing people’s ability to earn a living (the liquor store owners). The logic behind the idea that selling liquor on Sunday somehow threatens to degrade our wholesome Tonganoxie social order is a fallacious argument. If selling liquor in Tonganoxie does that, why then is the threat of this something we shouldn’t fear the other six days of the week? On top of everything else, trying to enforce laws that are in direct opposition to human nature is stupid for as many have pointed out, folks will simply drive to that bastion of morality in Lawrence or Bonner for their Sunday adult beverage needs. Besides, the last thing I need is more government intervention in my life when I already have a wife who is far more effective at moderating my alcohol consumption on Sunday – or any other day for that matter.

I live between Tongy and Lawrence off of 24/40. It is a dangerous stretch of road because it's not straight like most every other road around these parts. It runs at a diagonal to almost every road that crosses it. There are very few "square" intersections which gives drivers an oblique view of on-coming traffic which makes it more difficult to judge distance and rates of closure. I believe that contributes to the numerous accidents at the intersections. All the subtle twists and turns of the road (especially the one near Kansas Ave) make it easy to drift over the center-line for people not paying attention. I see quite a few folks talking on cell phones or texting as I drive on 24/40. I've often wondered why the curve on 24/40 near Kansas Ave isn't governed by a slower speed limit. I think it's enough of a curve to warrant greater caution. My heart goes out to the Stimach family.